Not-guilty plea on rape charges

PROVO — A man accused of holding a woman hostage for 10 hours and raping her 10 times pleaded not guilty to charges Tuesday morning.

Kent Parkinson, 25, entered the not-guilty pleas to 10 charges of rape, two charges of forcible sodomy and two charges of kidnapping — all first-degree felonies.

Parkinson was arrested Dec. 7 after his accuser reported to Orem police that she had been held hostage and repeatedly raped.

The woman told officers she met Parkinson online through a Web site for Latter-day Saint singles — Singlesaints.com — and that they had agreed to meet at her parents' home in Orem.

Police say Parkinson picked her up and took her to a vacant home also in Orem, where he had been doing cabinetry work.

According to the police report filed in 4th District Court, the only furniture in the room was an air mattress, a television and a computer.

The woman told officers they began watching a movie and kissing. Although it was consensual at first, Parkinson allegedly turned aggressive and began touching her, then took off her pants and raped her, according to the police report.

Parkinson also faces felony charges for a similar incident from October 2004.

In that case, he met a woman online, then invited her to his house to watch a movie. The woman says he sexually assaulted her after she arrived at his house.

He faces five second-degree felony charges of forcible sex abuse in connection with that case. He has not entered a plea.

Debbie Hill, a Utah County public defender, is representing Parkinson on both cases. She said she is still waiting for more information and evidence for the 2004 case.

Parkinson has been in the Utah County Jail since Dec. 7 on $250,000 cash-only bail, Hill said she has no intention to ask the judge to lower the amount.

A third case of sexual assault against Parkinson was dismissed in January because of ambiguity on the date of the assault.

Parkinson will begin the three-day jury trial on May 17.

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